Description:

Description:
Promote and support the mission of Catholic Charities by providing competent and reliable legal advice and counsel to immigrants in our service area.

Essential Functions:
Benefits:
  • Health Insurance starting your first day
  • 401k plan including employer match
  • Competitive Time Off Benefits
  • Pay range: $56,849.15 - $69,000.00 annually

Staff Attorney Responsibilities:

  • Ensure that the activities of this position and relevant programs are consistent with the mission, vision and values of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland.
  • Interview and screen clients for legal services and provide brief advice and legal counsel when appropriate.
  • Prepare cases for submission to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
  • Represent clients in Immigration Court, before USIS District Office and Asylum Officers, and the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA).
  • Assist in the development of a variety of grant-funded programs and fee-based legal initiatives.
  • Work collaboratively with community agencies and attorneys in serving the needs of immigrants.
  • Assist with public education in the community and in collaborating with other partner agencies.
  • Assist volunteers working in the immigration program.
  • Keep up-to-date client files (both paper files and electronic files in the case management system) for the submission of monthly and annual statistical and grant reports.
  • Participate in meetings with immigration legal service community-based organizations as required.
  • Assist in the development and expansion of services and resources for immigration program.
  • Maintain an environment of confidentiality regarding clients and related paperwork and/or electronic files.
  • Maintain current knowledge about legal, regulatory, policy, and procedure requirements as it relates to immigration law.
  • Continue to foster relationships with volunteers, clients, community agencies, related Catholic Charities organizations and fellow employees of Catholic Charities.
  • Assist with special projects as assigned or as needed.
  • Travel to the detention facilities, parishes, community groups and other locations as required in order to meet with clients and members of the community.
  • Perform other duties as assigned to accomplish objectives.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands:
  • Normal office environment;
  • Travel throughout service area required;
  • Frequent sitting, talking, listening/hearing;
  • Reading, writing and finger dexterity to manage correspondence, faxing, copying, answering phones, forms/documents, computer and client files required on a frequent basis;
  • Tasks require visual perception and discrimination;
  • Organizing and coordinating schedules;
  • Analyzing and interpreting data;
  • Communicating with the public;
  • Frequent use of computer and telephone/cell phone.

Requirements:
  • Graduate of accredited law school (JD).
  • Must be at least 21 years of age at the time of hire.
  • Fluency in a foreign language strongly preferred.
  • Experience working in immigration law preferred (law school experience will be considered).
  • Experience working cross-culturally. Must be comfortable working with language barriers.
  • Maintain an active status law license in the State of Ohio in good standing or have taken the July, 2015 Ohio bar exam with admission pending.
  • Must be admitted to the Ohio State Bar in good standing during the first 90 days of employment.
  • Must have strong organizational skills and the ability to organize and manage multiple projects.
  • Must have excellent oral, written and interpersonal communication skills. Must be able to present verbal and written complex data in an understandable format.
  • Must be self-directed and self-motivated and be able to work independently.
  • Must be willing to work a flexible schedule that includes evenings, holidays and weekends.
  • Ability to effectively and productively work with people of very diverse economic, cultural and administrative backgrounds, both professional and volunteers, as well as organizations and systems of service.
  • Must have a valid Ohio Driver's License, provide copy of driver's license, and are subject to a Moving Vehicle Report (MVR) check through the Department of Motor Vehicles annually.
  • Must have a good working knowledge of computers and familiarity with Microsoft Office software.
  • Final applicant is required to be fingerprinted to complete background check.